Salvaging unit



March 26, 1946. M, SCHRAMM SALVAGING UNIT Filed Nov. 15, 1943 PatentedMar. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'SAIJVAGING'UNIT William-Schramm, Pasadena, Md.

Application November 13, 1943, Serial No. 510,189

' (o1. Hal-51) 3 Claims.

This invention refers to marine equipment and more particularly to asalvage unit for raising submarines and wrecks from the bottom of thesea or ocean. It has among its objects to provide for the raising andtransportation of wrecks .in a convenient and expeditious manner.Another object is to avoid the use of pontoons and other cumbersomeequipment for the purpose, and to provide instead, a vessel that cantravel under its own power to the place of use, ready for operation inthe salvage Work.

' These and other objects will occur t those skilled in the art, in Viewof the following description, drawing and appended claims.

The customary manner of raising submarines consists in towing largetanks or pontoons to the place of the wreck by a barge or the like.These tanks are hard to handle on the sea during such towing, and theirplacement for handling at the wreck involve other troubles due to thedifficulty of manipulating same. They are usually filled with water andsunk close to the vessel to be raised, and require the displacement ofthe water in them afterwards, in order to bring them back to the watersurface with the wreck connected to them. Their attachment is usuallyinsecure, frequently permitting the wreck to slip back to the bottom,after it has been raised, requiring additional eifort and time t repeatthe work, with little assurance that the additional work would be asuccess. In this invention, the method is new in marine practice, but isnone the less effective. It provides for the attachment of the wreckwith chains .or cables in a somewhat conventional manner. These chainsand cables are attached to winches supported on a vessel straddling overthe wreck on the surface of the sea above. They are wound up and liftthe vessel bodily to the surface, similar to that employed in liftingloads on land. When the wreck has been brought close to the surface, itis secured and brought into port between this device, andtheredeposited, where it can be repaired or investigated with facilityand convenience. The salvage work can be done completely, instead of inthe partial method now employed, where the more valuable cargo andarticles only are removed, the remainder of the ship is allowed to staysunk and abandoned. The method used in this invention enables the wholeship with cargo to be saved. Repairs may be made also in many cases sothe ship may be recommissioned, instead of being junked at aconsiderably less valuation.

In connection with the description herewith appended, the followingdrawing is provided, in

which:

Figure 1 is an end view of an embodiment of the invention, in whichships are indicated in general outline and with portions broken away toshow the machinery used in connection therewith. A dotted outline of asubmarineisalso indicated to show how same is brought up from the bottomof the sea, and

Figure 2 is a partial plan view of Figure 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout thedrawing.

'In. the drawing I0 represent a pair of marine vessels of similar formin general. They are spaced from each other normally and kept spaced bythe framework ll, having a series of transverse beams I2 and 33respectively and reinforcing longitudinal stringers I3. These transversebeams are adjustable to permit the spacing between the vessels to bevaried to suit conditions which arise in the use of the device.

This is performed through the use of the pins 14 located in the holes [5to suit the separation needed. These pins are of metal, having heads tolimit their passage through, and cotters lock them in place wheninserted through holes in the stem of the pin. The framework has armsl9. which support pulleys 20 over which cables 2| are carried. Thecables are provided with grapples 22 that are used for attachment to awreck 23 at the bottom of the ocean. The upper end portions 24 of thecables are wound on winches 25, which enable them to raise the grapplesand.wreck with them. The winches are operated by engines or motors 26 ina conventional manner.

The framework is securely bolted to the vessels [9, so as to makerespond like a single vessel. The vessels have the usual equipment forpropelling the ship and for manipulating its working parts. The springs21 introduced in the cable lines takes up the stresses induced by themovement of the waves and eliminates the danger of snapping them. Thebeams are arranged to form a cradle for the wreck and hold it secure fortransportation. This is done by bringing it up tight against them andlashing them thereto. This may be readily done after the raising isaccomplished.

In operation, the salvage unit, proceeds under its own power to thelocus of the wreck. After it reaches this spot, it stopsand locatesitself over the wreck. The grapples or other method of attachment areconnected with the wreck. The

cables are then wound up on the winches, and

the wreck raised. The buoyancy of the veswhile the wreck is beingraised. The framework keeps the vessels together and prevents themsidetipping. The spacing of the vessels and location 7 of the cables andpulleys brings the wreck between them so its weight is evenlydistributed between them. It is not necessary to raise the wreck abovethe surface in normal salvaging. When it is brought up to the beams 33,and lashed thereto, it becomes as it were, a partof the salvage unit,and offers no appreciable difliculties to its navigation.

It is carried along under th surface of the sea. While this is beingdone, divers can work on the wreck and begin any minor repairs that willenable its buoyancy to be increased. Such as emptying the water tanks,etc., of the wreck, by pumping from the salvage unit. Also by removingthe equipment that is unnecessary or in the way. The advantage ofkeeping the wreck under water, reduces the dead weight that the salvageunit has to lift.

The springs 21 in the cable lines take up the up-and-down movement ofthe waves, and prevent excessive stresses in the cables, framework andVessels.

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawing anddescribed in thespecifications, it is not desired to limit this apscope:thereof, as it is appreciated that other members to connect samelongitudinally, lifting forms of construction could bemade that woulduse the same principles and come within the scop of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is: g

1. In a salvag unit of the class described comprising in combination, apair of floatable members spaced apart, a series of adjustable crossbeams mounted on saidfloat members and con necting same longitudinally,a plurality of lifting arms mounted on the beams adjacent the innerwalls of said float members in an overhanging manner, cables mounted onsaid lifting arm's,

lazy-tongs resiliently connected to said cables,

and means for operating said cables and lazy tongs between the floatmembers.

arms connected to said buoyant members in an overhanging manner, cablesmounted on said lift-' ing arms, lazy-tongs connected by a spring tosaid cable, and means for operating the cables and' raising salvagedships connected to said lazytongs,

3. In a device of the class described, comprising in combination, aplurality of floatable members, a plurality of adjustable supportsmounted ing salvaged ships connected to said lazy-tongs between saidfioatable members. a

- WILLIAM M. SCHRAMM.

